Remember Vietnam?

It was Their children
who brought it all Home one day
to those confined in u.s.
(tiger) cages by design.

Fending the flailing
from the hawks ‘n’ the doves
no love lost
objectors ‘n’ defectors
desertion from the ranks

Jailhouse x-mas cards
blazing bodies dripping jelly
(in living color, clipped from LIFE)
flaming children charred on the run
Merry My Lai Massacre, Mothafuckahs!

It was someone else’s sons and daughters, too
who took it to the streets
caught in the clutches
colonial status by decree.

Fighting the flogging
from the hogs ‘n’ the dogs
Moratorium in motion
beautiful blending of Brown
Chale con el Draft.

Chilean greeting cards
protest song proponents
colors of freedom/ voices upraised
LA POESIA ESTA EN LA CALLE.

Bringing it back to the beginning
when they couldn’t say
we lost the war
trapped in the trenches
by command…

And thus, in this here year
of hoop/la, hurdles, and hurrahs
we still
remain to them (a bitter pill to swallow)
the hidden, lurking
conscience-disturbing
Viet Cong.

—escrito en la historica
Casa Quintanilla
a 30 de octubre del 1989

raúlsalinas

To learn more about raulrsalinas or to order his books or CDs, check out Resistencia Bookstore in Austin. web: http://www.resistenciabooks.com; email: revolu@swbell.net, ph. 512-416-8885.”